Bridget’s Blog: Anyone got a time machine?

Ok, so perhaps it’s just me, but I’m disappointed that no one has actually invented a time machine yet. There are so many reasons I could do with one right now. 

Firstly, I’d want to go forward about two to three weeks or so! We’re waiting for reports and papers, which we have been told are coming, and it would be so useful to know what they will say so we can be ready. The Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) in England and the white paper associated with it will be published shortly, but the recommendations and next steps are unknown. There are other government documents – such as the National Centre for Arts and Music Education Tender – which are on their way too. What each of these documents says will have an impact on what Music Mark does next in its support of schools and the wider music education ecology in England. We’re in a holding pattern, as are our partner Subject Associations (in Music, in other art forms and indeed for every subject). We’ve set a date for a Big Meet in partnership with the ISM and the MTA to discuss the CAR and White Paper in relation to music, but even then, without a time machine we don’t know if that date will be after the release of information! 

Then there’s the Music Mark Conference – if we could give every delegate a time machine, perhaps they could go to every session they would like to! I’m so excited by the conference programme, but I know that deciding which breakout to attend at any point on Tuesday is going to be tough. I appreciate that we’d all be exhausted by repeating each hour two or three times, but wouldn’t it be great to learn even more from colleagues across the programme?

Going back to not knowing what is going to happen next, this is also a challenge for colleagues in Wales and Scotland as we consider what elections in each nation might bring in terms of policy change. I’d set the time machine to late May 2026 to find out the results, before coming back to the present and using that information to ensure we’ve influenced the right people, ready for new governments being in place. Fortunately, by working in partnership with colleagues, we can prepare and present a vision –  a manifesto – which speaks to every political party. This is work we’ll do in November, so look out for our statements later this year or in early 2026. 

Of course, in reality I’m stuck in the present, and no matter how many cups of tea I drink, even the tea leaves are not telling me anything useful! However, even without the time machine, I can confidently predict that Music Mark will be ready! Ready to read and respond to publications, to share resources and celebrate great sessions after the conference and to listen to our membership and the wider sector as we seek to influence the future of music education right across the UK November is going to be a busy month, so perhaps I should be glad I can’t jump forward and back to experience it more than once!